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   New Virginia teen safety law sparks privacy debate and fresh legal challenges   
      
   Date:   
   Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:43:33 +0000   
      
   Description:   
   The amendment to the VCDPA places strict limits on data collection and usage   
   hours for minors, but privacy advocates warn that age verification could put   
   data at risk.   
      
   FULL STORY   
      
   A new amendment to the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) has   
   officially come into effect on January 1st. It mandates social media    
   platforms to implement stricter protections for minors, including limitations   
   on screen time and data collection.    
      
   Under the new rules, digital service providers are prohibited from processing   
   the personal data of a known minor for the purposes of targeted advertising    
   or selling that data without clear parental consent.    
      
   The law also targets "addictive" feed mechanics, requiring platforms to   
   disable features that encourage infinite scrolling and to implement tools    
   that limit the duration of use for minors.    
      
   While the goal is to break the cycle of social media addiction, privacy   
   experts warn that the technical requirements to enforce these rules   
   effectively mandate identity checks for everyone, driving privacy-conscious   
   users to seek out the best VPN services to protect their digital footprint.    
      
   The legislation, signed into law last year, is part of a growing nationwide   
   age verification trend where states are stepping in to regulate the   
   relationship between Big Tech and younger users.    
      
   This isn't Virginias first foray into digital age-gating either. The state   
   previously enacted strict age-verification requirements for adult-only   
   websites, a move that historically correlates with a spike in VPN usage as   
   users attempt to bypass intrusive ID uploads.    
      
   However, this new expansion into general social media covers a much broader   
   demographic and array of apps, raising the stakes for data privacy.   
      
   What the new law changes for teens   
      
   The core of the amendment is an update to the VCDPA that specifically   
   addresses "known minors." As reported by Biometric Update , the law requires   
   controllers (social media platforms) to prioritize the safety of younger   
   users.    
      
   Practically, this means platforms operating in Virginia must now default to   
   the highest privacy settings for minors. They are forbidden from profiling a   
   minor for advertising purposes or using precise geolocation data without   
   explicit consent.    
      
   Furthermore, the law introduces a "time limit" approach. Platforms are   
   expected to limit the hours a minor can spend on the app, or at the very   
   least, remove the algorithmic design choices, like autoplay videos and   
   gamified engagement rewards, that lead to excessive screen time.    
      
   While parents may welcome the control, the implementation remains complex. To   
   distinguish a "known minor" from an adult, platforms generally have to   
   increase the invasiveness of their age assurance methods.    
      
   This often involves estimating age through biometric analysis or requiring   
   government ID uploads, measures that privacy advocates argue create massive   
   new databases of sensitive information vulnerable to hacks.   
      
   NetChoice lawsuit and privacy concerns   
      
   The enactment of the law has not gone unchallenged. NetChoice, a trade   
   association representing major tech companies including Google and Meta, has   
   been vocal in its opposition, arguing that such laws violate the First   
   Amendment and compromise user security.    
      
   The organization filed a lawsuit in November, akin to its previous legal   
   battles across the US. The central argument is that by forcing platforms to   
   verify the age of every user to filter out minors, the state is effectively   
   ending anonymous web browsing.    
      
   Security experts have long warned that "age verification" is often a synonym   
   for "identity verification," which creates a honeypot of data for   
   cybercriminals.    
      
   We have seen federal judges side with these concerns in the recent past, with   
   courts even blocking similar legislation in other states. As we reported, a   
   federal judge blocked Louisiana's social media age verification law on   
   constitutional grounds. Similarly, courts found an Arkansas social media   
   safety law unconstitutional , citing the undue burden it placed on free    
   speech and privacy.    
      
   Despite the pending litigation, the Virginia law is now active. For the   
   moment, social media giants must navigate compliance or risk hefty fines,   
   while residents of Virginia may find themselves asked to prove who they are   
   just to scroll through their feeds.    
      
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/new-virginia-teen-safety-la   
   w-sparks-privacy-debate-and-fresh-legal-challenges   
      
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